C Mac
post-grad
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2011
- Messages
- 1,396
- Age
- 59
- Gender
- Female
- Country
-
United States
Hello Everyone,
I am new to the list and thought I’d write an introduction. I am 13 weeks out from RTHR surgery, anterior approach. I had congenital hip dysplasia that was not diagnosed immediately. After trying a frejka splint and two casts I had osteotomy surgery and a third cast at the tender age of two years.
The head of my femur and my acetabulum both had their own different shape but stayed in place for forty some odd years. About 6 years ago I began to have some catching in my hip on the upward movement of climbing stairs and hip pain. My first visit to the orthopedist, which I thought was for tendonitis, revealed that the recommendation was for total hip replacement. I rebelled against this recommendation for 6 years and 3 orthopaedic surgeons, acupuncture, physical therapy, exercise to try to impact they way the muscles held the femur in the socket, herbal remedies, vitamin supplements, chiropractic adjustments and a sprinkle of denial.
I found my current orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Hamilon, two years ago through a network of recommendations via physical therapists in the field. The first visit yielded much of the usual talk about my deformed hip bones and a packet of information which soon became referred to as the “Little Book of Horrors” (really just the informed consent risk listings, etc.). Two years after the first visit I made a second visit to Dr. Hamilton trying to get myself psyched up for surgery as it really was a quality of life issue for both my family and me. There were some key changes that made me feel slightly more comfortable with the surgery, so I picked a date!
I kept the date (surprising, still) got a ceramic on poly bundle of hardware installed and am working my way back to “new normal.” It has not been at all what I’d expected as I was told by a number of people that once the surgical pain abated I’d be amazed at how good I felt. I didn’t know anyone who had actually HAD the surgery, let alone the dysplasia related conditions (shallow pelvis, leg length discrepancy).
It has been a long, slow haul with a lot of peaks and valleys, some tears and readjusting of expectations. I was on assistive devices (walker, crutches, one crutch, cane) until my follow-up at the surgeon’s office, five weeks post- op. My ex-rays were fine, my gait was a bit like a pirate’s, my feet ached, my knee felt swollen and my other hip was exhausted at the end of the day from bearing more than it’s half of my body weight. I still use the cane at times -- more than I'd like.
I am glad to be part of the list as it seems some of the other people here have similar experiences to mine and similar complaints during the recovery period as well. I’ve gotten more reassurance reading people’s experiences here than I’ve gotten from my surgeon or physical therapist.
Thanks for reading!
Take care,
Cardie
I am new to the list and thought I’d write an introduction. I am 13 weeks out from RTHR surgery, anterior approach. I had congenital hip dysplasia that was not diagnosed immediately. After trying a frejka splint and two casts I had osteotomy surgery and a third cast at the tender age of two years.
The head of my femur and my acetabulum both had their own different shape but stayed in place for forty some odd years. About 6 years ago I began to have some catching in my hip on the upward movement of climbing stairs and hip pain. My first visit to the orthopedist, which I thought was for tendonitis, revealed that the recommendation was for total hip replacement. I rebelled against this recommendation for 6 years and 3 orthopaedic surgeons, acupuncture, physical therapy, exercise to try to impact they way the muscles held the femur in the socket, herbal remedies, vitamin supplements, chiropractic adjustments and a sprinkle of denial.
I found my current orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Hamilon, two years ago through a network of recommendations via physical therapists in the field. The first visit yielded much of the usual talk about my deformed hip bones and a packet of information which soon became referred to as the “Little Book of Horrors” (really just the informed consent risk listings, etc.). Two years after the first visit I made a second visit to Dr. Hamilton trying to get myself psyched up for surgery as it really was a quality of life issue for both my family and me. There were some key changes that made me feel slightly more comfortable with the surgery, so I picked a date!
I kept the date (surprising, still) got a ceramic on poly bundle of hardware installed and am working my way back to “new normal.” It has not been at all what I’d expected as I was told by a number of people that once the surgical pain abated I’d be amazed at how good I felt. I didn’t know anyone who had actually HAD the surgery, let alone the dysplasia related conditions (shallow pelvis, leg length discrepancy).
It has been a long, slow haul with a lot of peaks and valleys, some tears and readjusting of expectations. I was on assistive devices (walker, crutches, one crutch, cane) until my follow-up at the surgeon’s office, five weeks post- op. My ex-rays were fine, my gait was a bit like a pirate’s, my feet ached, my knee felt swollen and my other hip was exhausted at the end of the day from bearing more than it’s half of my body weight. I still use the cane at times -- more than I'd like.
I am glad to be part of the list as it seems some of the other people here have similar experiences to mine and similar complaints during the recovery period as well. I’ve gotten more reassurance reading people’s experiences here than I’ve gotten from my surgeon or physical therapist.
Thanks for reading!
Take care,
Cardie
. But no more hip pain!
.
